Wilson Audio multichannel speaker bonanza
Lovingly crafted in Provo, Utah and finished in Wilson Audio’s automotive-class paint facility, the Alida CSC multi-channel speaker, Mezzo CSC centre speaker and WASAE centre centre speaker are shipping worldwide from 22nd December. The Submerge active subwoofer begins shipping in March 2024. Wilson Audio Mezzo CSC centre channel speaker
Bringing home the passionate impact of live, unamplified music through two-channel reproduction has been the cultural compass of Wilson Audio since its inception more than five decades ago. Applying the same focus and expertise to Multi-Channel Audio systems has been a natural extension of that passion.
Seated comfortably in your listening space, surrounded by a carefully curated sound system, you begin the track that helps you connect with an emotion. We strive to connect, and music is our vehicle. Whether it’s the memories of our past, embracing our present, or defining our desires for the future, our listening space sets the stage for a deep connection through sound.
Authentic reproduction of the source material and the consistent pursuit of excellence remain the foundation at Wilson Audio. Introducing the Mezzo CSC, a new benchmark for multi-channel audio centre channel speakers.
Wilson Audio approaches a new product release with upmost care and consideration; every factor is examined, including the choice of materials, the aesthetic appeal, the technological advancements, and, most importantly, the auditory experience it delivers. A mere singular modification is not sufficient to warrant a new launch; instead, a multitude of enhancements must be present. That is exactly what you get with Mezzo CSC. We strive to push the boundaries of what is possible to deliver an unparalleled
listening experience. We continue the legacy of “Excellence in All Things” with Mezzo CSC, combining cutting-edge technology and meticulous craftsmanship to create a loudspeaker that transcends all expectations.
The Mezzo CSC is an exquisitely crafted and acoustically precise centre channel that will redefine what it means to experience sound at its finest. Seamlessly integrating with the rest of the surround system, centre channel dialogue, effects, and emotion are reproduced in a realistic and compelling way. Whether it’s your favourite album or cinematic experience, the Mezzo CSC anchors the centre stage most believably. Here are a few of the evolutionary developments that make this product a state-of- the-art centre channel.
Adjustable tweeter
Wilson Audio debuted the innovative rear-wave chamber technology with the Convergent Synergy Carbon (CSC) Tweeter in the Alexx V. The CSC tweeter stood as a testament to the continued development of cutting-edge technology, delivering extended high-frequency detail, impeccable linearity, and lush harmonic detail. The CSC tweeter is now incorporated into the designs of most of Wilson Audio’s loudspeakers, including the Alexia V, Sasha V, and Alida CSC.
In addition to the CSC tweeter, the Mezzo CSC now has a fully adjustable tweeter module that allows you to customize your centre channel’s alignment to any unique installation environment.
Whether the Mezzo CSC is installed directly on the floor, on one-of-two custom-designed Stands, or in a custom cabinet, the Mezzo CSC’s drivers can be properly aligned to accommodate any of these scenarios. In any room and in any configuration. This leap forward has enhanced the sonic experience melding the CSC tweeter flawlessly with the midrange and woofers thus ensuring that micro-details are more resolved, and time alignment accuracy is tighter, regardless of your listening position.
Marvelous midrange
In the Main Module, the Mezzo CSC’s two woofers are mounted horizontally, flanking a very familiar midrange driver. First introduced in the Chronosonic XVX, Mezzo CSC features the same 7” Alnico (Aluminum-Nickel-Cobalt) QuadraMag midrange, coupled with an S-Material baffle. With 6% more internal volume for our midrange enclosure, you hear an even more spacious and lifelike midrange sound.
This special midrange driver, celebrated for its tonal richness and exquisite performance, is a testament to our commitment to sonic excellence. The QuadraMag initially pioneered for the XVX and is now proudly integrated into the Alexx V, Alexia V, and Sasha V. Sink into the richness of the QuadraMag and experience a new benchmark in audio excellence.
Dynamic woofers
Utilising the same woofers found in the Sasha V, these drivers deliver rapid, powerful, and precise sound. With refined enclosure bracing and a slight increase in internal volume compared to the previous Mezzo, you will feel impactful low-frequency punch and swifter transient response from your favourite music and movies.
Stately hardware
Every aspect of the Mezzo CSC has been deliberately designed to create a stunning centrepiece in any listening environment. The most prominent and visually stunning upgrade one notices is the 3/4″ T- 6061 Aluminium woofer baffles. This addition provides both mechanical rigidity and aesthetic damping while creating a harmonious sonic blend also found with other Wilson Audio loudspeaker models, including the Submerge, Subsonic, Alexx V, Chronosonic XVX, and WAMM Master Chronosonic.
The Mezzo CSC has been intentionally engineered with the highest quality and best performing components. This obsession with the ideal has led to the Mezzo CSC weighing in at 200 pounds of world-class capability. As well as the exotic enclosure material, here are a few of the carefully chosen hardware elements:
The newly developed ball-spike retention tracks for the tweeter module ensures vibration control and module security. Our in-house crafted Wilson Audio cable-grip is flawlessly tailored to interface with our V-Cable, similar to Sasha V and Alexia V.
Custom-built Wilson Audio binding posts have now also been integrated into Mezzo CSC. Both banana plug termination and traditional spade connections can be used with this binding post. This premier binding post offers a clean signal path with an upgraded and larger contact surface area for your speaker cables.
Thin profile alignment block.
Tool-less and quick access to the resistors via the uniquely designed pinned cover plate, complemented by user-friendly thumbscrew mounting hardware.
Sculpted Materials
Our precision-engineered and handcrafted X-Material enclosures, paired with an S-Material front baffle, bring you a level of vibration control that’s simply without equal in the centre channel market. Every note, every whisper, every thunderous explosion is delivered with unparalleled clarity and authority.
Seamless Integration
The Mezzo CSC is a work of art that not only sounds extraordinary but also complements your living space with elegance. You can install the Mezzo CSC directly on the ground or raise the loudspeaker height on a purpose-built Wilson Audio Stand.
The two Stand options are as follows. The Hourglass Stand features a solid front plinth, which allows for 2π Steradian support of the midrange and woofer drivers, resulting in more linear and impactful performance in the upper bass and lower midrange. The second optional Stand features a traditional column. This option can be ordered in a custom height, making the Column Stand an ideal choice for special installations where precise height specifications are essential.
Crafted with meticulous attention to detail, the Mezzo CSC is a masterpiece of design, measuring just 1.5 inches wider and 0.5 inches taller than its predecessor, the Mezzo CS. The Mezzo CSC is designed to work seamlessly with the current Mezzo Stands (Hourglass and Column versions) with simple adapter all-thread hardware — if upgrading from the current Mezzo, there is no need to purchase a new Stand.
Upgrading from your Wilson Audio WATCH Centre to Mezzo CSC? The Mezzo CSC is only four inches taller, offering an easy upgrade that brings a world of difference to your multi-channel audio system.
Bespoke Crossover Components
With our newly designed Audiocap X-WA copper capacitors, built in-house to industry-leading tolerances, the Mezzo CSC adds unprecedented low-level resolution to your audio journey. This special copper version of the Audiocap X-WA capacitor, integrated into the tweeter crossover, unlocks a new level of high-frequency micro-detail and an open sense of air to your system’s sound. Along with refining the crossover topology and linearising the full frequency response, the Mezzo CSC delivers a remarkably life-like and satisfying soundstage.
Wilson Audio continues investing in the future and has done so again by having two customized, state- of-the-art capacitor winding machines built for our in-house capacitor manufacturing. These one-of-a- kind machines meticulously produce the most accurate, consistent, and best- sounding capacitors Reliable Capacitors (a division of Wilson Audio) has ever crafted. It is a testament to the dedication and passion we pour into every Wilson Audio product, in every step of manufacturing, and in every element of our creations.
The Wilson Audio Mezzo CSC centre channel speaker begins shipping worldwide on 22nd December. The UK RRP is £22,998 inc. VAT.
Wilson Audio Alida CSC multi-channel speaker
It is said that the meaning of ALIDA is ‘she who is noble’ and ‘small winged one’. Alida’s essence weaves a familial connection – her premium build elements harmonise with those of her larger Wilson Audio counterparts and her graceful, yet solid, presence on one’s wall is undoubtedly a part of a noble line of creations.
The evolution of a definitive multi-channel audio speaker
Wilson Audio’s first wall-mount loudspeaker was designed as part of the W.A.T.C.H. (Wilson Audio Theatre Comes Home) system. This foundational creation’s sole purpose was to serve as the surround sound component of a 5.1 installation while nonetheless offering the measure of frequency response and dynamic contrast that would complement Wilson Audio’s large floorstanding main speakers.
Over time, however, it became apparent that the performance of the W.A.T.C.H. Surround speaker was so good that people were using it as a wall-mounted speaker in two-channel music systems. Now found in bedrooms, offices, or other locations where space or architecture precluded the use of floorstanding loudspeakers, this need was recognized and the original Alida was born. Designed for main channel system playback while still maintaining its ability to excel in multi-channel surround applications.
Drawing inspiration from its larger counterparts, the Alida CSC delivers an astonishingly musical listening experience and is a perfect example of performance disproportionate to size. With strong power-handling capacity and low-end frequency response reaching below 40 Hz, this compact design will forever change the perception of just how good a surface-mounted speaker can sound.
The Alida CSC includes numerous upgrades to the critical elements that sculpt the sound she delivers. From the utilisation of the Convergent Synergy Carbon (CSC) tweeter to the custom in-house built crossovers and the Mounting Bracket employing our proprietary V-Material. The Alida CSC is designed to offer the timbral neutrality, dynamic response, soundstage depth, and comparable transparency of floorstanding Wilson Audio loudspeakers, but to do so in the extremely adverse conditions of surface- mounted applications, including Dolby Atmos and mounting to the ceiling.
Ultimate immersion
Captivating multi-channel audio and cinematic experiences await those who choose surround systems. The Alida CSC is ready. Surround sound content has come a long way from its infancy in the early 1980’s. Dolby Atmos systems allow for configurations like 5.1.2 or 7.2.4 (the last number refers to the number of ceiling-mounted speakers).
Because the Alida CSC remains the uncompromising choice for state-of-the-art multi-channel audio and surround sound, we naturally developed and offer the Alida Ceiling Mount option to accommodate the most ambitious Atmos configurations.
Convergent Synergy Carbon (CSC)
The CSC tweeter rear wave chamber is intricately printed in-house using an advanced carbon fibre composite on one of our many 3D printers. This bespoke tweeter was designed initially for the Alexx V and subsequently incorporated into the design of Alexia V and Sasha V and promises industry-leading high- frequency extension and ambient detail. Experience the profound silence between notes and immerse yourself in heightened harmonic richness.
Inside out
The greatest challenge for any surface-mount loudspeaker is accounting for the adverse interaction with the wall and ceiling, as well as degradation caused by the mount itself. This causes frequency nonlinearities, accentuating some frequencies and effectively masking others. The Alida CSC minimises wall/ceiling resonant interactions through a thoroughly re-engineered mounting system.
Found strategically nested between the critical interface of the X-Material enclosure and Mounting Bracket is another one of Wilson Audio’s proprietary damping materials, V-Material. The utilisation of these mixed materials ensures unmatched vibration control. By isolating the enclosure from the mounting surface, we’ve drastically reduced sympathetic resonances, ushering in a new level of system
clarity. Novel in its properties, V-Material provides uncommon vibration control and module isolation, similar to the design philosophy found in the prestigious Chronosonic XVX and Alexx V.
The Alida CSC’s new Mounting Bracket can be more fully optimized for both the time-domain and driver dispersion and provides up to 30 degrees of rotation. This adjustability allows for extreme adaptability especially in the most challenging installations.
Made from the purest conducive metallurgies, Wilson Audio multi-connector binding posts ensure robust connection stability and are audibly more refined than plastic binding posts commonly found on loudspeakers. You have flexibility with your connection choices by using spade or banana plug speaker cables.
We’ve given a fresh visual touch. Enclosure lines harmoniously and organically flow atop the enclosure’s skin. These modifications echo the aesthetic nuances of iconic designs such as the WAMM Master Chronosonic, Submerge, Lōkē, and WASAE Centre. With these visible changes come an overall enclosure size that is slightly taller (0.75 inches) with the added benefit of increased internal volume of 6%. The Alida CSC mid-woofer performs better with this added volume as it reaches to reproduce the lowest notes from the soundtrack.
Special signal path
Wilson Audio continues investing in the future and has done so again by having two customized, state- of-the-art capacitor winding machines built for our in- house capacitor manufacturing. These one-of-a- kind machines meticulously produce the most accurate, consistent, and best-sounding capacitors Reliable Capacitors (a division of Wilson Audio) has ever crafted. This is a testament to the dedication and passion we pour into every Wilson Audio product, in every step of manufacturing, and in every element of our creations.
With our newly designed Audiocap X-WA-Cu (copper) capacitors, built to industry-leading tolerances, the Alida CSC adds unprecedented resolution to your audio journey. This special copper version of the Audiocap X-WA capacitor, integrated into the tweeter crossover, unlocks a new level of high-frequency micro-detail and an open sense of air to your system’s sound.
The Alida CSC crossovers are created out of world-class components and are passionately hand-made at Wilson Audio. When used in loudspeakers, printed circuit boards inherently dynamically compress the sound. Wilson Audio avoids this sonic compromise by taking the time to painstakingly and passionately handcraft each component with point-to-point connections at our manufacturing facility in Utah.
The Wilson Audio Alida CSC multi-channel speaker begins shipping worldwide on 22nd December. The UK RRP is £18,998 per pair inc. VAT.
Wilson Audio WASAE centre centre channel speaker
Introducing the Wilson Audio Special Applications Engineering (WASAE) Centre speaker. Masterfully crafted with innovative materials and cutting-edge engineering, the WASAE Centre offers exceptional sound quality and superlative listening experiences.
This compact and alluring loudspeaker incorporates advanced X-Material and S-Material construction for phenomenal vibration control and industry-leading settling. The natural elements of Utah have inspired numerous Wilson Audio speakers. This aesthetic design guides the WASAE Centre to blend seamlessly into the line-up.
The WASAE Centre is engineered for on-axis centre channel dialogue and music listening, providing surprising micro-detail and scale for its tightly packed form. Its modest size is perfect for smaller rooms, while its impressive midrange clarity and transient speed make it a standout performer in any space.
Featuring the same Convergent Synergy MK5 tweeter found in the WAMM Master Chronosonic, the WASAE Centre delivers linear high-frequency extension and beautiful harmonic nuance found in its larger siblings. The mid-woofer utilised is the same as in the mighty Alexx V, slender Sabrina X, and the elegant wall-mounting Alida CSC.
To ensure the cleanest signal path, the WASAE Centre is equipped with the substantial and bespoke Wilson Audio spade+banana plug binding posts. Its crossover components, including the new Audiocap X-WA capacitors, are uniquely wound at Wilson Audio to extremely tight tolerances specifically for this product, thus increasing low-level resolution. The WASAE Centre’s internal wires (V- Cable), also developed in-house, provide a more natural and open sound for all connections to and from the crossovers and drivers.
The WASAE Centre is designed for ease of integration into any home audio setup. Its adjustable spikes allow for precise alignment of the drivers to the listener, ensuring the best possible on-axis response. With its 88 dB sensitivity, the WASAE Centre easily unifies with other Wilson Audio products.
The Wilson Audio WASAE Centre centre channel speaker begins shipping worldwide on 22nd December. The UK RRP is £10,500 inc. VAT.
Wilson Audio Submerge active subwoofer
Found deep in the groves of your favourite LPs, and concealed in the soundtrack of the movies you can’t wait to watch, is critical low-frequency information that provides the sense of space of the recorded music hall and the impact of the explosions the movie hero narrowly escapes. The Submerge reveals the tension and sonic foundation below the surface of your audio experience.
Flexible DSP
Supported by a sophisticated and custom tuned DSP, the built-in amplifier provides 1,600 watts of
power which easily controls the dual-spider twelve-inch (12”) woofer. The DSP is meticulously calibrated for ideal acoustical interaction between the driver and enclosure volume, guaranteeing a balanced and lifelike soundstage.
Front-facing analogue controls are found on a beautifully machined plate which allow for fine-tuning your Submerge’s balance to perfection. These analogue knobs provide adjustably for Gain, Delay
(Phase), ELF Trim, and LP Frequency. Once the intuitive controls are set, easily mark their position with the custom indicator rings. You can make adjustments and return to your initial settings seamlessly. These knobs also provide a quick way to revert to correct settings if accidentally rearranged.
Effortlessly tailor the subwoofer’s output to your preferences, achieving the perfect balance of depth and clarity in your audio and/or cinema systems. Enjoy flexibility with balanced and unbalanced Left/Mono and right inputs, accommodating various audio setups and sources.
In addition, the DSP can be bypassed entirely. This is desirable when used in systems with either a sound processor in a home theatre system, or a separate processor like the Wilson Audio ActivXO dual- subwoofer crossover.
Serious subwoofer
When Wilson Audio designed this remarkable subwoofer, special attention was paid to its unique application and demanding role in a complex system. This proprietary 12” woofer was specifically optimised for the two bottom octaves of the audible bandwidth. Featuring a dual spider design, the driver’s geometry is triangulated (the third variable being the cone’s surround) such that the high- excursion cone can only move pistonically. The results are immersive in any application in which the Submerge is utilised.
Advanced enclosure technology
Crafted distinctly from X-Material, Wilson Audio enclosures provides unparalleled vibration control and mass, which are essential for reproducing low frequency, ensuring your audio is delivered with exceptional clarity and precision.
Isolation of the Submerge’s amplifier was an area where we were able to further explore the silence between the notes. The amplifier plate mounts seamlessly to the V-Material back, effectively controlling vibrations and minimizing sympathetic resonances migrating into the amplifier, resulting in a purer sound.
The Submerge is dressed with elegant aesthetics and presents a familial design pattern also found within the curves of the WAMM Master Chronosonic, WASAE LōKē, WASAE Centre, and Alida CSC. The side panels, thickest near the driver, enhance dampening and vibration control, creating a visually appealing and acoustically superior subwoofer.
Cutting-edge hardware
The 1,600-watt amplifier is uniquely mounted to the massive heatsink plate found on the rear of the enclosure. Coupling the amplifier to the T6061 Aluminium back plate efficiently transfers heat from the internal components of the amplifier to the decorative heatsink fins, the design of which is inspired by the mountain ranges surrounding Wilson Audio.
Remove the handcrafted front grille to expose the sleek aluminium baffle design. The attachment hardware for this mass of metal is strategically placed underneath grille post catchers, ensuring a clean
and visually pleasing appearance without compromising functionality. Taking a page from the Master Subsonic’s playbook, the combination of thick X-Material as a substrate
coalesced with the bulk of the aluminium baffle creates a truly solid and extremely damped surface for the Submerge’s driver to be secured to.
The Wilson Audio Submerge active subwoofer begins shipping worldwide in March 2024. The UK RRP is £31,998 inc. VAT.